Food, family and memories are as intertwined in the South as if woven on the same thread. At any function we attend, from a party to a wedding to a funeral, we are as likely to talk as much about the food that was there, as we are about why we are gathered. ~Mary Foreman

I'm your cook, not your doctor. ~PAULA DEEN

I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best friends. ~Ninny Threadgoode

Monday, September 6, 2010

Tomato soup made from fresh garden tomatoes and sweet Vidalia onions. It's a light meal even on a hot summer day.

Fresh Tomato Soup

I threw this Homemade Fresh Tomato Soup together recently and was just thrilled with the results. I'm not one to knock the red and white can of Campbell's tomato soup, because that is what I grew up on and have fond memories of - and it'll always have a place in my pantry. This homemade version is sure a nice change of pace when you want something a little more homemade however, and the flavor is just outstanding because it comes from fresh tomatoes.

When I talk about large tomatoes here in the ingredient list, I'm talking about the huge, heavy tomatoes of summer, one of which will literally spill over in the palm of your hand. If the tomatoes you are using are much smaller, you'll have to double or even triple them. You can also leave the soup chunky if you prefer, but I pureed it using an immersion blender. If you don't have one of these kitchen tools, they are mighty handy, especially with hot soups and sauces, but you can also very carefully transfer the soup to a food processor or blender in batches to puree it. Add a nice sandwich, like this pepperoni grilled cheese, and you have one fine meal right here!

Remove the skins of the tomato and chop, reserving any juices. Heat olive oil in a stock pot and add the onion and celery. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the tomato paste; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes with their juices, Rotel, chicken stock, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, or longer. Use an immersion blender, food processor, or blender to puree, if desired. Add butter, stir until incorporated, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Garnish as desired.

Grilled Cheese Croutons: For a change, add your grilled cheese sandwich in your soup as croutons. Use a thick sliced bread, at least 1/2 inch thick. Prepare two sandwiches as usual, except use a sandwich press or panini maker to cook and press the sandwiches. Cook until browned, let rest for 5 minutes and cut into 1 inch cubes. Garnish each serving with the cubes.

Cook's Note: This soup can also be made by substituting 2 large (28 ounce) canned Italian style, San Marzano whole tomatoes, when fresh aren't at peak, but do try to use fairly fresh cans, as older ones that have been sitting around the pantry for awhile tend to have a metallic taste to them. You can sometimes counter that taste by adding a bit of baking soda (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) to the soup, or try squeezing in a bit of fresh lemon juice.

May also combine one can of San Marzano's with a (12 ounce) jar of roasted red peppers, and a small jar of sun dried tomatoes for a great flavor boost. For a more substantial meal, add in a package of refrigerated pasta, like tortellini, ravioli, tortelloni, or gnocchi. This is also a great place to use slow roasted tomatoes.

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That would be a great recipe for today! We're having a nice Fall weekend here in MA. Last week we had an overwhelming heat wave for our first week back at school. Funny how quick the weather can change!

This recipe sounds like pure comfort to me. I never thought i'd like tomato soup so i wouldn't touch it as a child. Boy was I wrong. I love it and this recipe looks like it's packed with so much flavor. Thanks Mary.

Hey Michelle - I'm only just venturing into canning anything & haven't moved into this area, but I understand that if you do a soup like this it should be canned with a pressure canner because it is a "combination" recipe. You'd have to leave out the butter & following garnishes of course, but most of these ingredients seem to line up with the Ball book tomato soup so I'd use that as a guideline.

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